Welcome to Snippet Sunday!

Where writers come together to share a few sentences (8-10) of their current project — whether it’s a recently released novel, a WIP (work in progress), or an older manuscript that’s being revived. Intended to hook readers, gather feedback and build an author’s fan base, Snippet Sunday is the FB group that does all three.

Even though Camp is over, I’m continuing on with my short paranormal story, Rivers of Black for the month of August. I might switch to something new in September.

I am skipping ahead about a page from last week’s snippet. My main character had been thinking about wanting to take her own life, but her fear of being found had stopped her. Now, she is out wandering the woods, looking for no place in particular that would be her place to sit in peace at last, coming across an old, scarred, and battered oak tree. Now that tree has shown it’s own desolation and deterioration to mother nature and my MC is spiraling into despair. She is just about to go through with the deed and take her own life.

A bit of background on this story as well: This story is rather dark and depressing. It deals with a topic some people would be hesitant to read; which is self harm and suicide. I don’t sugarcoat this either, I write it raw on how someone in my character’s state feels. Just be forewarned with that. I hope it doesn’t deter you from reading, but I know others cannot deal reading these kinds of things. (There is really nothing bad to this snippet though.)

(The following has been creatively punctuated to try fit the ten sentence limit. I’m a bit over, I gave up trying to make it ten and get my desired effect of the scene.)

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Suddenly, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and an ice cold wind whipped past me. I stopped dead in my tracks, pulling the blade back from my arm thinking that I’d been caught. My gut told me that someone was near, watching; but that wasn’t possible, I was deep in the forest where no one would go for a hike. I looked around hastily in every direction, trying to figure out if it was just my mind playing tricks on me or if someone was actually near; I saw nor heard anyone close by though. The only sound was that of the leaves rustling in the trees overhead and the sounds of animals.

I shivered, trying to shake the feeling off and put the blade back to my wrist. Once again I pressed down, ready to pull it across my skin, and once more an ice old wind buffeted past me. This time the hairs on my neck and arms stood on end and I glanced up, paranoid now that someone was near. The wind was too cold for the warm summer day and the feeling in my gut to dark for the brightness of the sun. I whipped my head back and forth, looking for any signs of people.

To my left and in front of me I saw nothing, but to my right everything had changed.

Cover made by @_teenagers on Wattpad

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If you want to read the whole story, it is available to read on Wattpad!  I love to hear any and all feedback on my work as well. Comments are greatly appreciated, as are the reads.

And if you’re looking for some other great snippets of fellow authors,

hop on over to Facebook and check out Sunday Snippets!